Grilled Polish Buckwheat Meatballs with Plum Glaze
Polish buckwheat meatballs with a sticky powidła plum sauce glaze and creamy dill yogurt sauce. Grilled or stovetop, ready in under an hour.
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Equipment
- large mixing bowl
- small saucepan
- whisk
- Baking sheet or large plate (for chilling meatballs)
- Grill or large skillet
- Grilling tray or basket
- Instant-read thermometer
- Pastry brush (for glazing)
- Small bowl (for yogurt sauce)
- measuring cups and spoons
- Box grater (for the onion)
- tongs
Ingredients
Buckwheat Meatballs
- ½ pound ground pork
- ½ pound ground beef 80/20
- ½ cup buckwheat cooked and cooled kasza gryczana
- 2 shallots finely grated
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill finely chopped
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon caraway seeds lightly crushed
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Sticky Powidła Glaze
- ⅓ cup plum powidła
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon water or apple juice if needed to thin
- black pepper to taste
Creamy Dill Yogurt Sauce
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons fresh dill chopped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon horseradish
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook ½ cup buckwheat (kasza gryczana) according to the package directions. Spread the cooked buckwheat on a plate or baking sheet and let it cool completely. Cold buckwheat blends into the meat more easily and helps the meatballs hold their shape.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine: ½ pound ground pork, ½ pound ground beef, (80/20), ½ cup buckwheat , 2 shallots, 3 garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons fresh dill, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon ground allspice, ¼ teaspoon caraway seeds, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper
- With clean hands, gently mix everything together just until combined. Avoid overmixing, which can make the meatballs dense.
- Divide the mixture into 18-20 meatballs, about 1½ inches (35-40 g) each. Spread them on a tray and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes to firm up before grilling.
- In a small saucepan, combine: ⅓ cup plum powidła, 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon water.
- Cook over low heat for 3-5 minutes, whisking until smooth and glossy. The glaze should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon yet easy to brush onto the meatballs. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together: ½ cup Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons fresh dill, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon horseradish, ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard, and Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve. The flavors improve after sitting for 10-15 minutes.
- Preheat the grill to medium heat (375-400°F). Clean the grill grates and lightly oil them with 1 tablespoon of neutral oil to prevent sticking.
- Arrange the chilled meatballs on the grill, leaving a little space between each one.
- Grill for 10-12 minutes, turning every few minutes so they brown evenly on all sides.
- During the last 3-4 minutes of cooking, brush the meatballs generously with the warm powidła glaze. Turn and brush again once or twice, allowing the glaze to caramelize without burning.
- Cook until the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 160°F.
- Spread a spoonful of the creamy dill yogurt sauce onto a serving platter or individual plates.
- Arrange the warm glazed meatballs on top, then drizzle with a little extra warm powidła glaze if desired.
- Finish with fresh dill, thinly sliced green onions, and a few cracks of fresh black pepper before serving.
Notes
Cool the buckwheat completely before mixing.
Chill before you grill. It helps the meatballs firm up.
Use a thermometer. Pull them at 160°F.
Nutrition
Serving: 4piecesCalories: 332kcalCarbohydrates: 27gProtein: 18gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 82mgSodium: 512mgPotassium: 395mgFiber: 2gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 69IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 56mgIron: 2mg
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